Nebulizing drug delivery device with increased flow rate

Abstract

The present invention provides a nebulizing drug delivery system for delivering an aerosolized drug to a user having various features to increase the capacity of the drug delivery device. The drug delivery system includes a heater to increase the viscosity of the drug, a double aerosolizing system to double the capacity of the device, and a valve system to continuously replenish drug to the aerosol generator thereby providing a high speed delivery.

1. A nebulizing device, comprising:
 a housing including an outlet; 
 a drug reservoir for receiving a drug solution within the housing; 
 an aerosol generator in communication with a first portion of the drug solution; 
 wherein the aerosol generator forms nebulized particles from the portion of the drug solution to enable nebulized particles of the drug solution to be communicated to a user through the outlet; 
 a valve that permits drug solution within the reservoir to replenish a first portion of the drug solution when the first portion is less than a threshold amount, wherein the valve comprises a float that floats on a second portion of drug solution, the float substantially sealing the reservoir when the amount of the first portion of the drug solution is above the threshold amount, the float permitting drug solution to flow from the reservoir towards the aerosol generator when the amount of the first portion of the drug solution is less than the threshold amount. 
 
     
     
       2. A nebulizing device according to  claim 1 , comprising a separator structure that separates larger liquid droplets from smaller nebulized particles formed from the portion of drug solution by the aerosol generator. 
     
     
       3. A nebulizing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the larger liquid droplets in the separator structure are returned to the drug reservoir. 
     
     
       4. A nebulizing device, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a plurality of chambers within the housing, the plurality of chambers being configured to hold separate portions of a drug solution, the plurality of chambers comprising:
 a first chamber; and 
 a second chamber; 
 
 a plurality of acoustic wave generators, the plurality of acoustic wave generators comprising:
 a first acoustic wave generator comprising a piezoelectric transducer having a concave shape, the first acoustic wave generator being in communication with the first chamber; and 
 a second acoustic wave generator comprising a piezoelectric transducer having a concave shape, the second acoustic wave generator being in communication with the second chamber; 
 
 the plurality of acoustic wave generators forming a corresponding plurality of fountains that generate nebulized particles of the drug solution, the plurality of fountains comprising:
 a first fountain formed in the portion of the drug solution held in the first chamber by acoustic waves generated by the first acoustic wave generator; and 
 a second fountain formed in the portion of the drug solution held in the second chamber by acoustic waves generated by the second acoustic wave generator; 
 
 the plurality of fountains being in communication with the outlet to enable a user to inhale nebulized particles of the drug solution from the plurality of aerosol regions through the outlet. 
 
     
     
       5. A nebulizing drug device according to  claim 4 , wherein a plurality of barriers are provided, each barrier being functionally cooperative with a respective one of the aerosol generators. 
     
     
       6. A nebulizing device according to  claim 5 , wherein each barrier has an associated separate portion of fluid functionally cooperable therewith. 
     
     
       7. A nebulizing device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a drug solution reservoir in the housing that holds a portion of the drug solution within the housing, and a plurality of valves, each associated with one of the aerosol generator, and that opens to permit drug solution within the reservoir to be provided to the associated aerosol generator. 
     
     
       8. A nebulizing device, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a plurality of aerosol generators in communication with a drug solution; 
 the plurality of aerosol generators forming a corresponding plurality of fountains that generate nebulized particles of the drug solution; 
 the plurality of fountains being in communication with the outlet to enable a user to inhale nebulized particles of the drug solution from the plurality of aerosol regions through the outlet; 
 a drug solution reservoir in the housing that holds a portion of the drug solution within the housing, and a plurality of valves, each associated with one of the aerosol generator, and that opens to permit drug solution within the reservoir to be provided to the associated aerosol generator wherein the valves open to provide the drug solution to the associated aerosol generator when an amount of solution is less than a threshold amount, and close to prevent fluid from the reservoir from being provided to the aerosol generator when the amount of drug solution is greater than the threshold amount. 
 
     
     
       9. A nebulizing device according to  claim 8 , wherein the valves each comprise a float. 
     
     
       10. A nebulizing device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a heater that heats the drug solution contained in a reservoir formed in the housing. 
     
     
       11. A nebulizing device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a heater that heats the drug solution in the reservoir. 
     
     
       12. A nebulizing device according to  claim 4 , wherein the heater heats the drug solution that is on the barrier. 
     
     
       13. A nebulizing device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a temperature sensor that determines a temperature of the drug solution in the reservoir, the temperature sensor being functionally connected with the heater to control operation of the heater and hence the temperature of the drug solution. 
     
     
       14. A nebulizing device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of guide tubes, each associated with one of the aerosol generators, having a first end in communication with the drug solution, and wherein the plurality of fountains are formed at the guide tubes such that a stream of drug solution that enters the first end of each of the guide tubes and exits a second end of the guide tube, wherein a majority of the nebulized particles are generated towards the second end of the fountain.